Painting

learning to paint properly in Photoshop, here is the first stage of my concept for the Graphi Novel/film I have in mind. Its called 'Pods'.

I DID I DID see a putty cat

Still practicing my drawing skills and photoshop. It's simple stuff like this that builds a portfoilio. Especially as I know exactly how I'm going to digitalise my sketchbooks properly for the real portfolio I'd hand to potential employers as a concept artist. If I keep doing stuff like this by the end of the summer I'll have quite a collection. Anyway this is me and emma as Cats, I took the the previouse images I drew and changed us into cats.

I taat I saw a Putty Cat

Just a recent character design I've started fixing up. Just thought i'd share before I finsih up here.

2012 Showreel

So here it is, my first ever go at making a showreel, theres a lot that could be improved, but there is plenty there that shows the hardwork. The most important thing is how much I have come along in such a short space of time, and this really shows that. From having nothing for two years to suddenly being able to pull together a 2minute showreel, I wish I could add more into it showing my knowledge of all the programs I know, like after effects and Maya, but this will do for now. It can only get better as my own skills improve, i also think that my next one will be more conceptual based this one is all about what I've learnt my next one will be me not having to rely on that but show all the things I can accomplish. I have added my sketches onto the DVD just not into the Showreel, I have a good idea of what I'm going to do for that too when I get there. One step at a time though.
Anyway as promised here is my baby, can't wait to watch it grow:



Also want to apologise for the flickering I uploaded the wrong version to Vimeo, but u get the jist.

Tweaking and Playing

So I've re done the UVW Map to Hagatha, along with re doing her model in Mudbox. It was very flat and bland and I couldn't figure out why, but after a few discussions I realised that I hadn't been using my original design as a reference but just doing it from memory. Anyway by doing this it looked flat and dull, so I've gone back into Mudbox and started from scratch. So here is the difference now from the original image:

Original above, Below the Tweaked.

She is getting some real shape now in her torso, the "shelf" is more obvious and so is her stomache and bulge. The tweaking has just begun, this may put me back a little bit but there is no point in doing things in half measures.

Morning Play

Just been playing around with a tutorial by Andrew Kramer, it taught me about subtle ligthing and shadows.Still in the playing stage of the producion logo. Mini projects keep me learning new things. Especially the shadows I can use within a scene. Anyway I might do another. Will keep you updated

Little ol' me

Yes this is what I used to look like as a kid, always wore tshirts that were way to big for me, along with my my scraggly hair my poor mother used to have to try and tackle every morning. I was a rough and tumble kind of kid, I think this quick sketch somes me up quite nicely.
Could do with some tweaking, but I started to take too long on it, took me an hour as I kept getting distracted.

Morning practice

Just some mid morning practice, 30mins from that poor photographed sketch below. I'm practicing to speed paint basically, and half an hour to have it sketched out in photoshop and coloured isnt too bad. Just trying to build up my portfolio I guess.

Character Design

So here is character one for my animation. I'm now starting character two, and over the weekend I will be working on the Scenery. This project for me is important to show my ideas and workings before the animation as this is perfect practice for the job area I want to go into. I need to develop the skills needed for this career path, along with building up a porfotolio worthy to show people. Developement is key.

Sharpened Pencils

So thought I'd add some of my sketches and idea process for this Silent comedy project. I really want to focus on the  character designs and the process along with it. I've got quite a few ideas swimming round, here are a few: Hiccupping Cat Burgular, Witches first broom, The chicken and the Naughty Egg.

I get bored of writing so I like to sketch as I go along helps with the visualisation process. Never know when an idea is going to stick. (Sorry not been able to rotate image, using the phone).

Below is how the process begins, in this project I'm not going to concentrate so much on being neat and tidy, i'm just gonna do it.

 Since hearing this project last term, i've been stuck on one idea, unfortunately I've let it fester, so ove rthe weekend I bought the looney tunes boxset, loving it!!! Also the Laurel and Hardy Collection, surprising how much its helped. There is a sketch on the Road Runner DVD where Wile E Coyote has a broomstick, simple short funny sketch. I realised throughout the DVD's I loved the ones with ghouls and monsters in, and it led me to witches... This might be the route i'm going to take. Its funny there is alot i can do with it, along with the character design of it all, just a simple background is nessecary with the main focus being this little fat witch struggling with her 1st ever broom. Yes I think that is a better idea then my last which started getting too complex and would be better as a short film then a 1-3minute one. To be honest it may all change again, so will keep u posted.

The Sketches

So here are the basic sketches I begun with before I started modelling, sorry both the camscanner and camera didnt give the best quality, but it will do for now. Also keeping with my New Year's resolution still practicing my drawing skills, I'm going to start my graphic novel initial sketches soon, its called P.O.D.S its futuristic and creepy. Anyway back to my Still Life sketches, here they are;

 And Bread is surprisingly hard to draw, out of all of it, that was definitely the most challenging.

 I now can say I practice drawing anything, chopping boards! Never ever have I drawn different styles of chopping boards. I can see myself in the future needing to be able to draw different styles of knives, maybe even jars, but chopping boards is new one.

Never realised how many different types of spoons there are out there, like there shapes and styles of handles. Anyway the Bread might have been hardest to draw, the spoon was definitely hardest to model.
I think after this I will upload my latest bit of work on this project, I've re done the knife handle and chopping board.

Massive Black: Volume One

Santa also brought (apart from the phone) me the Massive Black Volume One book. It has some of their best work in there, from hand drawn concept art to 3d models and walk cycle animations. Its a great gift to see what level I have to aspire to, to becoming a great concept artist. My drawing skills need a lot more practice, but the skill is there, I've now begun teaching myself Mudbox readying myself for Zbrush, then finally uni will set me up in the actual 3d modelling and rigging side of things. Along with this book i got other books on drawing essentials and how to draw Manga ( Manga isn't my favourite genre but still has useful tools) My learning and reading material is growing very rapidly, I'm going to have to put up new shelves.
Anyway thought I would share with you one of my favourite images from the book along with its initial sketch. I used the camscanner app to upload it onto my new phone, then used the dropbox app to send it to my computer. Both extremely useful apps, I can not praise them enough.

This is the link to see it from my dropbox:
http://db.tt/KLDhxfm7

Mudbox Practice

I can't believe how quickly I'm getting the hang of this, it only took 2.5hrs to build and paint. Started with a sphere, and finished with this. The stalk was the awkward bit, but I think l've found a new way which will allow me to build upon a smaller surface area, the sculpt tool. So now because I feel that I've got the hang of this i think it's time to move forward onto the next level. Can't tell you how much I love this program and my graphics table.
So onto maybe a creature or even a christmas decoration in spirit of the season. We'll see...

Peppers to Carrots

Keeping up the practice, i'm getting there bit by bit, I've found that modelling fruit and veg is a good way to practice just gettign used to the program. Today I made a carrot as you can see, not figured out yet how to sort the lighting out to not make it sooo shiny, but I like its shape and its stump of greenery. I think I could of added some more stringey bits at the bottom, but it didnt work out so well when I tried. I think I'm gonna make a snake or something next, build up from fruit and veg to legless creatures, then onto creatures with legs, leading to humanoids. I'm trying to think of what to make next but all I can see is a candle in front of me and that is my only inspiration at the min so that might be up next, unless I get the courage to skip my initial steps and create Ratchet from the Rachet and Clank games, maybe. I don't know I should really begin the still life project, I've finally decided to go with my grandma's kitchen idea, I think visually it'll be nicer if not harder.
Always like a Challenge

1st time using Mudbox

This is the first time I have ever used Mudbox And 'have to say I love it!! Fantastic program Mud box , allows me complete control over modeling and texturing, it's 3dsmax and Photoshop combined. Having knowledge from Photoshop and 3ds max is definitely a massive help, but such a simple pogram, i'm actually quite annoyed that I haven't used this software sooner. Like all programs and skills practice makes perfect, i'll soon be able to make more than just a mere pepper. I'm hoping this will help in my pursuit to becoming a concept artist. I feel it's important to be capable in as many programs as possible, and an expert in at least 2. Hoping Mudbox might be one of them, because I have seen some incredible sculptures made in this program. CGSculpt is perfect to see all the awesome scupltures artists have created using this software and Zbrush.

This is just an example by Max Aristov of such incredible work, i want to be able to create such indepth detail, and really creative ideas like this. Overall really impressed with this program and what it can achieve.

Fantasy Olympics - Burball

Tadaaa, it is finished, everything from the storyboard and sketches to the actual animation and music. It is currently just being uploaded to Vimeo, I have used four programs for this, LMMS, Photoshop, 3ds Max and the main one After Effects. The main task was to learn about After Effects and how to make 2d images look like they're in a 3d environment. I used the software mainly for they text as I feel that it is in this area it truly succeeds. I did make the 2d characters work in the 3d arena too, which I am very happy about, as I thought that was going to be the hardest challenge. Luckily once I got into it, I got the hang of it really quickly, I do like the idea of being able to animate with this software, and with me currently considering concept art and storyboarding as a career, this is a great software for storyboards.
Although I feel like the character animation section will eventual get better with practice, right now this is the best I feel I could produce, another year or so practice I will be able to make it look smother and as though it were part of the arena. That I feel is the only let down.
The idea for the sport was really good, so much so I'm considering to make it a free mini game online. I really thought out the characters best for the sport too, like their shape and qualities. At one point i nearly turned the advert into a documentary each with their won back stories, before realising the brief was just asking for an advert. I liked how it all came together, and the reason why I used 3ds max was because I couldnt get the right feel from After Effects and so i made a decision, I wanted to make a good advert and the mass majority of it is made up of After Effects animation the text and character sections anyway.
The ideas behind this advert are strong ones, even though the final outcome isnt as strong I got all my ideas across, in the advert i gave a good over view of what my sport was, the mood, and why it was being advertised. If i had more time I think i could have played around some more with the olympic logo, as over past day or so i came up with an idea to make it more intergalatic.
It may not be the strongest advert but the ideas definitly are, and ultimately that was my main goal. Its execution was just mainly about learning the program and what it was capable of, my main goal was to push my imagination and also start practicing character designs.
The task was to 'design a promotional advert for a fantasy olympic sport'. I think I achieved that.

Teaching Myself After Effects

So with little knowledge I had of After Effects I set out to make a scene that is going to be in my advert. For a first time it's not too bad, and I've tried to remember animation basics. Its actually really fiddly, but once you get it, you're sorted. I know it can be better and less basic cartoony but be gentle its my first time. I like it because once the giant velcro balls attach, Octi slows down and it looks heavey, exactly the feel I wanted.
Weaves in and out, collects the big black 100 then ends up collecting a load more and starts getting weighed down.

Gonna finsih the Slithering scene tonight and hopefully put it all together tomorrow, going to try adding a fast blur effect to the slithering scene.

Arena Animation

This is a quick over look of the arena, in the advert I'm going to show them floating up from the floor, gonna be awesome. My advert is I think all about the power and impact of it, its not very subtle.

Spinning olympics

So this is test number one for a simple olympic design, it just spins but its short and sweet and straight to the point. Which I like but I have a few more things still left up my sleeve, for the design of this, once I've finished all the sketches i'll upload them onto here.

Blinking Slithards

This is my first initial test for my blinking slithard was Just practicing with the layers and timing. Its only a rough little movie ,But you get the jist.